Donnelly urges Indiana Democrats to choose Zody as state chairman

Cites his experince with Obama campaign

INDIANAPOLIS - U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly is urging Indiana Democrats to choose John Zody, an experienced Capitol Hill hand who worked on President Barack Obama's re-election campaign, as the party's next state chairman.

Donnelly wants the former chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Baron Hill and leader of Obama's 2012 campaign in eight Midwestern states to take the helm after Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker's eight-year tenure ends in six weeks.

The 18-member state Democratic central committee — two from each of Indiana's nine congressional districts — will vote at their March 16 meeting on a new chairman. Members said Donnelly was calling them Wednesday to say Zody is his preference.

"Certainly the recommendation of our United States senator carries great weight," said Anthony Long, the Eight District Democratic chairman.

Long said he thinks highly of Zody and — since he's not aware of other candidates for the job — sees no reason he wouldn't support him. "I've known him for years. He's an outstanding young man. He's had a lot of experience — a lot of work in the party before," Long said.

Other members of the central committee said they'll also give Donnelly's recommendation strong consideration — but that it's not a done deal.

"I put a lot of stock in Joe Donnelly's advice," said Jeff Fites, the Fourth District chairman.

However, he said, many members will wait to learn the plans of Vi Simpson, the 2012 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor who gave up her state Senate seat to run for the office, and who he said is interested in the state chair job.

Fites said he got four unsolicited phone calls from county chairmen in his district asking him to keep an open mind if Simpson seeks the job.

"She does have a lot of support out there," he said. "A lot of people knew her before and have great respect for her abilities and what she's done for the party. As she traveled around the state, the rank and file got to know her and they liked her, too."

Wayne Vance, the Ninth District Democratic chairman, said he knows Donnelly is pushing Zody and said Simpson had told him she's interested in the job.

But, he said, it's tough to predict what will happen because the party will elect its county chairs on March 2 and its district chairs on March 9 — and only the week after that will the state central committee vote.

"Probably a lot of water will pass under the bridge before that happens," Vance said.

The end of Parker's tenure has long been expected. He announced he was stepping down in 2011, but rescinded his resignation after Democrats couldn't agree on his replacement.

Zody is "supremely qualified" for the job, a Democratic source familiar with Zody's thinking said Wednesday.

"He's played at every level, from field organizing to being the political director of eight states in a presidential campaign," the source said.

"And no matter what you think of Barack Obama, he ran one of the toughest, smartest, most data-driven campaigns in history, and Zody was a big part of that."